TEACHING CHILDREN HOW TO SUCCEED

National Network for Child Care's Connections Newsletter

Sue Manglallan, B.S.
4-H/Youth Development Advisor
University of California Cooperative Extension

Copyright/Access Information


Caregivers want the children in their care to develop to their fullest potential. The challenge is how to encourage school-age children to stretch their abilities without breaking their spirit. Here are several ways to help children succeed with challenging tasks.

PROVIDE APPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES AND ADULT ASSISTANCE. Consider the developmental levels of the children when selecting activities. Provide separate activities for children at different developmental levels, or provide a choice of activities that vary in difficulty. For example, you might provide puzzles with and without frames and with varying numbers of pieces if your group varies greatly in age. Be sure to also have more adults available when you know a project will be challenging. Getting one-on-one help can make the difference between failure and success. Be ready to substitute easier activities if the children become frustrated because a toy or game is beyond their ability.

BREAK UP COMPLEX TASKS INTO PARTS. Children may be able to succeed at a challenging activity if the task is broken down into easier steps. For example, you could lead a child who is struggling to spell an unfamiliar word through the following steps: Step 1. Ask the child how she thinks the word is spelled. Step 2. Ask her to get the dictionary. Step 3. Show the child how to look up the word in the dictionary. Model the appropriate behavior for using the dictionary. If you cannot find the word using the child's spelling, have her generate other possible spellings. Then have her look up each one until she finds the correct spelling. The next time the child wants to know how to spell a word, provide "verbal" guidance only. First, ask how she would spell the word and then have her check the spelling in the dictionary. Offer your assistance only if she is unable to find the word.

This procedure also helps children to follow directions better. Young school-age children often have trouble understanding the steps to follow when doing a craft or cooking project, especially if the directions are given verbally. They will be more likely to succeed if you provide visual directions that include examples of the product at each stage. For example, to explain how to make windmills, set up a display with the following steps: Step 1. Make four diagonal cuts on a square piece of paper. Step 2: Fold one edge of the square to the center. Step 3. Fold the remaining edges to the center. Step 4. Put a pin through the center and attach it to a pencil eraser. Giving simple written instructions, and providing a sample of what the product looks like at each step, will help children work with a minimum of adult guidance.

ASK LEADING QUESTIONS. Simply telling children how to do something is often not effective. While children may succeed at the task, they may not learn how to generate solutions on their own. A better teaching technique is to ask leading questions. These questions should help children think about the next step, or should encourage them to think about different ways to accomplish some goal. For example, if a child is struggling with a jigsaw puzzle, point to the picture on the box and ask, "What color piece should we be looking for?" This is more effective than simply saying, "That piece goes here." It helps them learn a strategy for finding appropriate puzzle pieces. You can also use leading questions to help children learn social skills. For example, if two children are fighting over the leggos, you might ask, "Is there some way that you both could play with the leggos?"

PROVIDE A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES. Different children have different abilities. The same child may excel at one activity and find other activities more challenging. The key is to provide a wide variety of activities so that every child can be a "star" in some area. Self-confidence has a ripple effect. When children feel capable in one area, the feeling is likely to spread to other areas. By providing each child with some activities in which they excel, they will be more willing to persist in other, more challenging activities.

PRAISE EFFORT. Children work longer when they know that adults notice them. Commenting on children's effort tells them that you notice and appreciate their attempts, even if they are not totally successful. It also conveys the message that effort is important. To be effective, praise must be honest, immediate, and specific. For example, if you see a child who is frustrated at not being able to draw a "good" horse, you might say, "Horses are hard to draw. I can see you are working very hard to get the legs just right." Or, you might make a special effort to praise a child who has refrained from hitting all day. Offer him praise by saying, "Mark, do you realize that you went the whole day without hitting? I'm proud of you!"

By paying attention to the types of activities offered and the ways in which staff respond to children, we can encourage children to take on challenges, rather than to shy away from them.

RESOURCES

Challenging the "lead edge." (1985, July-August). *School-Age Notes*, p. 7.

Crary, E. *Kids Can Cooperate*, Seattle: Parenting Press, Inc.

Parent Styles...Tips for Busy Parents. (1991). Auburn, CA: University of California Cooperative Extension Service.